The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-01-29
A LIFE OF CRIME.
Strange Career of Jean Goujon, a
Paris Gamin.

Jean Goujon was the son of a laborer
~employclin the conservatory of Pere
la Chaisc. Paris. He had never known
his mother and had grown up a street
gamin. In 1886 as q Jewish funeral
was entering the cemetery by the Rue
St. Andre, Jean Goujon, then in his
fifteenth year, stole u watchfr one of
the mourners. He was captured and
sent to prison. In 1888 he was again
free and was ready for almost any
crime. He professed to help his father
in decorating graves. A wealthy Span
lard, named Diaz. had recently lost his
only daughter, and, before quitting
Paris, he paid a visit to her grave in
Pere la Chaisc. Jean Goujon saw him
arranging for the decoration of the
grave of his child and observed the
well-iilled pockot-boUk Which he car
rlcd. He seized q pruning-knife and
followed the Spaniard until he reached
convenient spot, well shrouded with
foliage. He plunged the deadly weapon
into the stomach Of the nususpecting
stranger, tore the pocket-book from his
vest and dccamped, leaving q corpse
behind him.
Three days later, when he was spend
ing the money like a Prince in Mother
1arratan's den in the Rue Serpente, q
companion said to him:
Where did you get your money?
What man did yon plumber? Was it you
who carved the Spaniard in Pere la
Chaisep'
Jean Goujon laughed and appeared
gratiiiod, as though a compliment had
been paid him. When it was dark he
wished his companion to 90 forth and
enjoy the night. On the Pont Neuf,
Just before reaching the Quai du Louvre,
Jean stabbed his friend in the back and
ran. Fortunately for the young man,
whose name was jacques Riverin, the
thick leather %suspcnders which he wore
turned the blade, and, though badly
wounded, he recovered. Jean was
captured, but he had got rid of all the
money he stole from the Spaniard, and
There was nothing that connected him
with that crime. For stabbing Riverin,
however. he was sent to the galleys for
six years.
III 1874 Jean was once more at liber-
". lie went to the conservatory at
rcre Ia Chaisc, where his father still
worked, and, removing two bricks
nom the rear of a furnace, hauled out
a pocket-book containing several thou
SAND francs. He put the money in his
pocket and restored the book to its hid
ing place.
Nothing like q cemetery" he said
10 his father, 'for either acquiring
wealth or safely depositing it,"
jean was now twenty-three years of
age' he was tall, well-built. with a
lull' oval face. dark complexion, dark
eyes and black hair, which curlcd all
over his head. The first joint of the
.n'rd finger on the right hand was miss
Ing, There was a long white seal on
ms forehead close to his hair, which he
ulow over it to hide it. As no was
le"Vihg the place where his father was
~ work some one darkened the en-
france. Jean started back when he
saw hlverin, the man whom he had
s'aoDed in the Pont Neuf six years be-
.ore' jean suspected some thing was
wrong, and stepped back into the fur
nace-room.
here, father" he said, 'take care
o' this moneJ for me-"
ana he handed him all the notes he
nAa Just taken, from the hiding-placc in
WV rear Of the furnace. Then he faced I